Industry-government-university cooperation to establish CIM education in the USA

Abstract Manufacturing engineering was a neglected field in American higher education during the past few decades. In recent years leaders of U.S. academic institutions, industry and government recognized the importance of the need for specially trained engineers to implement computer integrated manufacturing systems (CIM). The National Science Foundation organized a series of conferences with university and industry leaders to initiate joint action and announced funds to establish centers of excellence at selected universities. Leading industrial companies, like IBM Corporation, established their own corporate teaching/training centers and also announced competitive grant programs for universities. Numerous academic institutions broadened existing programs or developed new undergraduate and graduate curricula in modern manufacturing systems engineering. The result is an ever increasing availability of CIM professionals.